Voter Turnout Among Young Women and Men in the 2008 Presidential Election

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1 Voter Turnout Among and in the 2008 Presidential Election By: Surbhi Godsay and Emily Kirby 1 October 2010 The 2008 Presidential election marked a significant turning point in politics; for the first time both an and female candidate were strong contenders. Moreover, young voters, especially females, significantly increased their turnout rates. Although overall youth turnout increased, a significant gender gap in turnout exists, with young women voting at higher rates than young men. This fact sheet presents information on voter turnout (which is just one measure of civic engagement) for women and men, with detailed information about racial and ethnic groups, differences by educational background, and married and unmarried individuals. (See table 1A, 1B, and 1C in the appendix for full voter turnout figures.) 9 Figure 1: Voter Turnout Among Citizens, Presidential Elections by Gender 8 72% 7 68% 6 56% 55% 68% 66% 55% 47% Female Citizen Female Citizen Male Citizen Male Citizen Source: CPS Nov. Supplements In 2008, there were approximately 41 million year-old citizens who were eligible voters in the United States. In total, approximately 51.1% of the year-old population voted in the 2008 Presidential election. Since 1972, when 18- and 19-year-olds won the right to vote, young women have been more likely than young men to vote. In 2004, the gap was nearly six percentage points in 2008, this gap increased to approximately eight percentage points (see Figure 1).

2 women and men also turned out in increased numbers for the 2006 midterm elections both groups saw an increase of approximately three percentage points. This is the third midterm election in a row in which voter turnout among young women has increased (see Figure 2). The gap in turnout rates between both male and female voters age and those thirty and older is much larger in midterm elections than presidential elections. Figure 2: Voter Turnout Among Citizens, Midterm Elections by Gender % 52% 54% 53% 29% 27% 24% Male Citizen Male Citizen Female Citizen Female Citizen Source: CPS November Supplements Voter Turnout by Gender and Marital Status young men have consistently voted at lower rates compared to their female or married counterparts (see Figure 3). For example, in 2008 the turnout rate among single young men was 46.4% compared to a 54.4% turnout rate among young single females. In 2008, nearly 59% of young married females voted compared to 52.3% of married men. In 2004, the turnout rate between young single and young married females was virtually the same; in 2008, the turnout difference between the two groups grew by more than five percentage points. 2

3 Figure 3: Voter Turnout Among Year-Old Citizens, by Gender and Marital Status, Presidential Elections % 56% 49% 55% 59% 54% 52% 46% Male Citizen Female Citizen FemaleCitizen Male Citizen Voter Turnout among, by Race/Ethnicity Between 2000 and 2004, there was no significant difference in the turnout rate between young women and young white women (see Figure 4) marked the first time since the voting age was lowered to 18 when young women showed greater turnout than white women. Voter turnout among young women increased by 14 percentage points between 2004 and Although young white females saw a minimal three percentage point increase in their voter turnout, both females and Asian females saw an increase in turnout since 2004 (five points and 13 points respectively), and 2008 marked the highest turnout for Asian and female youth since data were first collected. Figure 4: Voter Turnout Among Year-Old Citizen Females by Race, Presidential Elections % 56% 49% 44% Female, Non-Hispanics Female s Female Black, Non-Hispanics Female Asian, Non-Hispanics Source: CPS Nov. Supplements,

4 Voter Turnout among, by Race/Ethnicity Trends show that young women have consistently voted at a higher rate than men this is specifically true of the difference between young white females and young white males. As discussed earlier, young white females increased their voter turnout by a small margin since the 2004 election. white males, on the other hand, showed a small decrease in voter turnout (see Figure 5). 7 Figure 5: VoterTurnout Among Year-Old Citizen Males, by Race, Presidential Elections 6 52% 49% 38% 37% Male, Non-Hispanics Male Black, Non-Hispanics Male s Male Asian, Non-Hispanics CPS Nov. Supplements, African Females Start to Close the Age Gap Though both young men and women increased their voter turnout since 2004, the percentage point gap between the two groups increased from eight points to 11 points. As seen in Figure 6, the spike in the young female vote started to close the turnout gap between s 30 and over, and young s females 18-to-29 years-old. In 2004, there was a 14 percentage point difference between turnout among females 30 and over and young females. In 2008, however, this gap was decreased to seven percentage points. Moreover, in 2008, young African females voted at essentially the same rate as adult African males (63.5% vs. 63.9%). people have traditionally voted at lower levels than adults, but this election shows that youth participation can grow to reach participation levels as high as adults. 4

5 Figure 6: Turnout Among African Citizens by Age, Presidential Elections % 64% 64% 52% Black Male Citizen Black Male Citizen Black Female Citizen Black Female Citizen Source:CPS Nov. Supplements Voter Turnout Among by Educational Attainment 2 Consistent with trends observed for all young people, young women with greater levels of education are more likely to vote. As shown in Figure 7, there was a one to two percentage point increase in voter turnout for each educational group of young females from 2004 to Though the voter turnout gap between youth with college experience and youth without college experience still exists, young females with less than a high school education have shown a rising trend in voter turnout since In fact, the 2008 Presidential election marked the highest voter turnout for females without a high school degree since % 73% 71% % 43% 27% 29% Figure 7: Turnout Among Females by Education, Presidential Elections Female Citizen BA or More Female Citizen Some College Female Citizen HS Grad Female Citizen Less Than HS Source: CPS Nov. Supplements, Voter Turnout Among Males by Educational Attainment Like their female counterparts, young men with more formal education voted at higher levels in However, turnout remained relatively unchanged between 2004 and 2008 among young men whose highest 5

6 levels of education were either high school degree or some college. Turnout among young men with less than a high school diploma increased by three percentage points from 21.5% to 24.5%. Figure 8: Turnout Among 18-to-29 Year_old Males by Education, Presidential Elections % 7 68% 47% 54% 37% 26% 25% Male Citizen Less than HS Male Citizen HS Grad Male Citizen Some College Male Citizen BA or More Source: CPS Nov. Supplements, Voter turnout Among and by Employment, College Enrollment Status, and Region In 2008, young women regardless of employment status voted at higher rates than young men. The voting rate of young employed men is approximately 13 percentage points greater than unemployed males age unemployed males were the least likely to vote, voting at a rate of 37.3%. Comparatively, young employed women were the most likely to vote at a rate of 59.2%, approximately seven percentage points higher than young unemployed females. The largest gap in voter turnout is between unemployed males and females. Figure 9: 2008 Presidential Vote by Employment Status and Gender, Age % 52% 45% 41% 37% Employed Unemployed Not in the labor force Male Female Among the 18-to-24 3 year-old, college student population, young women were significantly more likely to vote in 2008 (62.7%) compared to young men (56.1%). There was little to no difference between the voter turnout 6

7 among young male part-time students and young male full-time students and similarly, there was no difference in turnout among female part-time students and full-time students Figure 10: 2008 Presidential Vote by Student Type and Gender 59% 59% 52% 52% Part time student Full time student Male Female In all geographic regions, young women were more likely to turn out compared to their male counterparts. women from the Midwest were the most likely to vote (58.5%,) whereas young men from the south were the least likely to vote (44.8%.) The smallest gap in voter turnout between genders was in the northeast, with a gap of approximately five percentage points. 7 6 Figure 11: 2008 Presidential Vote by Region and Gender 58% 53% 54% 55% 48% 51% 45% 47% Northeast Midwest South West Male Female Support for Presidential Candidates in 2008 women were slightly more likely to vote for Barack Obama than their male counterparts, although for ages, both genders were strong supporters of Obama. As a whole, voters age 30 and above differed in their support; they split almost evenly between the two candidates (Obama 49.8% vs McCain 48.5%). But, older women (age ) were slightly more likely than their male counterparts to vote for Barack Obama (52% versus 47%). 7

8 Figure 12: 2008 Presidential Vote Choice by Age and Gender % 52% 46% 62% 51% 47% 29% 34% Barack Obama John McCain Source: 2008 National Election Poll (NEP), National Exit Poll Political Party Identification women voters,, were more likely to self-identify as a Democrat compared to their male counterparts (51% versus 38%; see Figure 10). In contrast, young male voters were more likely identify as Independent voters (25% versus 18%) and slightly more likely to self-identify themselves as Republican (27% versus 25%) compared to their young female counterparts (Figure 13). This pattern persisted for voters age 30 and above older women were more likely to self-identify as a Democrat (41%) compared to older men (34%). However, older male voters were slightly more likely to self-identify as Republican and Independent (see Figure 14). 6 Figure 13: Politcal Pary Identification Among 18-to-29 Year- Old Voters 38% 51% 27% 25% 25% 18% Democrat Republican Independent Something else 6% Male Female Source: 2008 National Election Poll (NEP), National Exit Poll 8

9 Figure 14: Political Party Identification Among Year Old Voters 45% 35% 25% 15% 5% 41% 34% 35% 32% 26% 22% 6% 4% Democrat Republican Independent Something Else Male Female Source: 2008 National Election Poll (NEP), National Election Poll female voters were more likely to self-identify as liberal compared to young male voters (35% versus ), however, both young women and men were most likely to self-identify as moderate (see Figure 15). On a whole, older male and female voters were more likely to self-identify as conservative than their younger female and male counterparts, although like younger voters they were most likely to self-identify as moderate (see Figures 15 & 16). Figure 15: Political Ideology Among 18-to-29 Year-Old Voters 35% 41% 42% 29% 23% Liberal Moderate Conservative Male Female Source: 2008 National Election Poll (NEP), National Election Poll 9

10 Figure 16: Political Ideology Among Year-Old Voters 45% 35% 25% 15% 5% 44% 46% 38% 33% 21% 18% Liberal Moderate Conservative Male Female Source: 2008 National Election Poll (NEP), National Election Poll 10

11 Appendix Voter Turnout Tables, Table 1a Voter Turnout Among U.S. Citizens, Selected Series Midterm Years Year % 26% 29% 54% 52% 56% 27% 28% 31% 32% 53% 55% 56% 58% % 25% 29% 53% 55% 56% 59% 26% 26% 56% 57% 59% % 27% 32% 32% 57% 58% 6 61% 27% 28% 3% 32% 59% 59% 62% 63% % 23% 29% 28% 54% 54% 57% 58% 24% 24% 28% 28% 55% 55% 59% 59% % 22% 28% 26% 54% 53% 56% 57% 24% 23% 28% 27% 55% 55% 58% 59% % 21% 27% 25% 52% 52% 55% 55% 23% 23% 55% 55% 57% 58% % 18% 23% 21% 49% 49% 52% 52% 23% 23% 51% 51% 53% 54% % 18% 24% 21% 52% 21% 23% 23% 53% 53% 55% 55% % 21% 27% 24% 52% 51% 54% 24% 25% 24% 29% 27% 55% 55% 57% 57% Presidential Years Year % 51% 56% 55% 67% 7 68% 72% 54% 54% 57% 57% 7 71% 71% 73% % 43% 48% 65% 66% 66% 68% 48% 46% 52% 67% 68% 69% % 42% 49% 47% 68% 69% 7 71% 46% 45% 51% 7 71% 72% 73% % 42% 51% 47% 7 68% 72% 71% 46% 44% 48% % 73% % 38% 46% 42% 66% 65% 69% 68 % 41% 46% 44% 51% 51% 53% 54% % 46% 54% 71% 7 73% 72% 52% 55% 53% 73% 72% 74% 74% % 33% 43% 36% 63% 61% 64% 63% 38% 36% 41%. 39% 64% 63% 66% 65% % 34% 43% 38% 64% 62% 65% 64% 38% 36% 42% 65% 64% 67% 66% % 52% 46% 68% 65% 69% 67% 47% 52% 69% 68% 71% % 45% 55% 47% 68% 64% 68% 66% 53% 46% 56% 49% 68% 67% 71% 68% Source: Authors Tabulations from the CPS Nov. Voting and Registration Supplements,

12 Table 1b Voter Turnout Among U.S. Citizens, Selected Series Midterm Years Year African African % 17% 22% 2% 41% 42% 43% 17% 17% 21% 35% 39% 39% 42% % 21% 25% 25% 45% 44% 47% 46% 15% 19% 19% 24% 44% 43% 47% % 25% 31% 29% 51% 49% 54% 53% 21% 22% 23% 23% 43% 44% 47% 49% % 25% 31% 49% 53% 51% 17% 24% 21% 43% 43% 46% 48% % 21% 27% 25% 47% 45% 49% 48% 19% 14% 23% 18% 41% 44% 43% % 15% 23% 21% 43% 43% 45% 44% 22% 14% 23% 16% 37% 38% 42% % 23% 21% 47% 44% 49% 19% 47% 11% 21% 14% 37% 37% 39% % 18% 25% 21% 47% 43% 49% 45% 16% 18% 13% 36% 35% 38% 37% % 17% 27% 48% 42% 44% 17% 16% 18% 37% 34% 39% 37% Presidential Years Year African African % 35% 43% 41% 59% 61% 6 62% NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA % 36% 34% 56% 55% 58% 58% 28% 32% 33% 46% 51% 48% 54% % 31% 39% 37% 6 57% 62% 59% 28% 23% 31% 29% 52% 53% 56% 56% % 48% 44% 65% 62% 67% 64% 35% 37% 33% 55% 55% 59% 59% % 14% 23% 21% 47% 44% 49% 59% 19% 11% 21% 14% 37% 37% 39% % 36% 45% 63% 61% 65% 63% 37% 29% 41% 37% 56% 55% 58% 57% % 27% 39% 32% 57% 54% 58% 56% 28% 32% 25% 51% 47% 53% % 33% 42% 37% 61% 57% 62% 59% 26% 25% 31% 28% 51% 49% 52% 51% % 42% 41% 63% 59% 64% 62% 34% 32% 38% 33% 53% 48% 54% % 51% 64% 52% 7 63% 71% 64% 41% 37% 44% 38% 54% 55% 52% Source: Authors Tabulations from the CPS Nov. Voting and Registration Supplements,

13 Table 1c Voter Turnout Among U.S. Citizens, Selected Series Midterm Years Year % 22% 29% 27% 24% 29% 31% 48% 53% 51% 56% 41% 56% 44% 59% % 22% 26% 22% 28% 31% 48% 57% 54% 6 44% 58% 48% 61% % 23% 31% 33% 28% 24% 31% 33% 6 55% 64% 45% 61% 48% 64% % 21% 28% 24% 21% 27% 29% 45% 57% 52% 61% 58% 44% 61% % 18% 28% 23% 18% 26% 28% 48% 58% 61% 39% 58% 45% 61% % 23% 27% 21% 23% 24% 43% 58% 48% 6 37% 58% 41% % 23% 26% 18% 16% 26% 54% 44% 56% 35% 55% 39% 56% % 21% 23% 28% 18% 18% 26% 55% 45% 57% 34% 56% 38% 58% % 23% 26% 31% 21% 23% 23% 29% 41% 57% 45% 59% 47% 57% 41% 58% Presidential Years Year % 61% 54% 55% 45% 56% 55% 66% 7 66% 72% 6 72% 6 77% % 52% 49% 45% 47% 49% 61% 68% 62% 7 56% 69% 55% 71% % 41% 44% 39% 46% 64% 72% 67% 74% 56% 72% 58% 74% % 51% 43% 41% 46% 65% 72% 67% 75% 57% 72% 6 74% % 36% 47% 46% 39% 35% 41% 44% % 72% 51% 7 55% 72% % 45% 56% 56% 48% 39% 49% 53% 65% 76% 67% 78% 56% 75% 59% 76% % 42% 46% 34% 36% 39% 55% 67% 58% 69% 46% 66% 49% 68% % 38% 42% 48% 34% 34% 36% 45% 55% 69% 58% 71% 47% 68% 49% 69% % 44% 53% 54% 45% 38% 45% 48% 61% 72% 63% 73% 51% 71% 53% 72% % 51% 54% 59% 45% 41% 46% 52% 62% 72% 64% 73% 52% 7 54% 7 Source: Authors Tabulations from the CPS Nov. Voting and Registration Supplements,

14 NOTES 1 Researcher and Senior Researcher respectively. We thank Abby Kiesa, Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg, and Peter Levine for comments on previous drafts of this fact sheet. We thank Mark Hugo Lopez, Emily Kirby, and Jared Sagoff for their fact sheet Voter Turnout Among and published in 2005 upon which this fact sheet is based. All errors in fact or interpretation are our own. 2 Youth without college experience are defined as those who have no experience attending technical/vocational programs, associate s degree programs, or four year college programs. This group includes youth who have completed a high school education or GED and those who have not. The college attending group is compromised of young people who have been enrolled in college in the past or are currently enrolled. 3 College enrollment data are only available for 18-to 24-year-olds. 14